Blind
by caligirlsd99
Summary: Sometimes love is standing right in front of you, you're just too darn blind to see it. High School AU


It started off innocently enough. Christine had known him for quite some time, her first encounter at a benefit concert for a common friend. She was a volunteer in the lobby, the only person too busy to be permitted into the performance hall. He had seen her there, and she supposed he didn't notice. But as soon has the first chords of his song rang out, her soul came alive and she ran over to the glass window in a poor attempt to get a glimpse of the man making such a beautiful sound. He sang effortlessly, and passionately and with each note he coaxed a bit more of her towards him. But then he was gone, and she was left wondering who exactly the masked man was.

~..0..~

Time went by and soon Christine forgot the experience all together. Besides, why should she remember? She was with Raoul, the guy she had been head over heels for for two years. Their story was an average one, filled with confusion and blind tolerance but Christine didn't realize this. She dumbly looked past all of his follies, not even for a second caring at who may have seen her shamelessly flirting with her shallow boyfriend in the lockers. But the masked man saw her there, she supposed he wouldn't care.

~..0..~

A few weeks later Christine found herself sitting in the performance hall softly humming to herself as the suns' rays beat down upon her soft cheeks. He heard her there and wondered what could be making such a beautiful sound. When he approached, she smiled warmly, a vast difference between the cold glares he was so terribly fond of.

"I know you!" She said, and Erik could have sworn that she possessed the voice of an angel. "I heard you singing a few months ago, at the concert. Do you remember me?"

Of course he did. How could he possibly forget the beautiful girl sitting in the lobby. The dark purple dress she wore hugging every curve of her body, her long dark tresses that cascaded effortlessly down her back, her large hazel eyes that never seemed to stop smiling.

"Vaguely," He replied, feigning indifference.

Her smile dropped slightly and she looked down at her knees. Erik couldn't help but compare her to a small child, and he smiled ever so slightly.

"Oh," She said her pristine voice ringing through his ears "And why would you? I was only the ticket girl." Christine laughed nervously and walked away. She would never admit how that one word affected her so.

~..0..~

She was singing again. That voice that filled his mind and tugged at his soul. He didn't see her but he knew. No other could possess such a way. Erik sat down his bassoon which he had been fussing with for the past hour, and found himself gravitating towards the sound. She was in a group of people choir girls, he realized when he recognized Meg in the same group. Could she possibly know who this girl is? This girl who had somehow seemed to infiltrate his very core. He had known Meg as almost a sibling for very long time and made a note to ask the blonde about her friend.

a

"Who, Christine?" Meg had asked giggling, "I've known her almost my whole life! She's my best friend!"

The blond broke out into hysterics and Erik soon found himself feeling very foolish. Of course it was Christine. Although Erik had never met the girl, he felt as oblivious as if he had. In a poor attempt to seem unbothered Erik simply sighed and walked away from the laughing girl.

~..0..~

She was singing once, when she felt almost sure no one could hear her in the performing arts center. But he had heard. He told her she had the voice of an angel. Her! The young, immature Christine Daae. She nearly scoffed at the though but instead looked at him with confusion. He laughed, and she smiled.

"What's your name?" She asked incredulously.

He smiled and lowered his voice slightly.

"Erik."

~..0..~

To say Meg was surprised when Christine asked if Erik would sing with her for a performance was an understatement. The young brunette had seemed hesitant and yet had somehow managed to get out the words.

"Well, I—I mean I guess I could ask…but you hardly know him!" Meg said, stuttering over her words.

"What's wrong with you Meg?" Came Christine's response. It appeared she had somehow found her voice. "I'm, not interested in him in any other way except for a singing partner. Besides, I'm with Raoul!" She smiled and Meg grimaced.

The two had been going through a bit of a rough patch, and Raoul basically used Christine as his own personal doormat. Why her friend put up with that, she didn't know. But Erik was a senior, and Christine was only a sophomore…There was no way it could work out anyways. And so, convincing herself it was harmless, Meg handed over his phone number to Christine who took it with a smile and hugged her friend before walking off.

"Thank you!" She called off behind her, already typing the digits into her contacts.

~..0..~

A few weeks later, Christine found herself in the choir rehearsal room with Erik. He was playing the piano effortlessly as she sang her parts, she hit a note slightly sharp and he stopped and looked at her.

"Christine, the note is not comparable to the scum we see littering the performance hall. Its not that high."

An hour ago she may have found his quip about the pot-heads entertaining, but now she felt as if strangling him would be far more so.

"I like the way I'm singing it." She argued, determination evident in every detail of her face.

"Well my ears don't." Erik responded, but her didn't dare look her in the eye, which was sure to be full of hatred and annoyance. He'd be lying if he said he didn't find slight entertainment in getting a rouse out of the soprano. "Again," He said suddenly, his hands finding the piano. "And this time, lower."

She huffed at him and he smirked down at the ivory keys. This would never get old.

~..0..~

They got the duet, and though she would never admit it to him, Christine felt as if every note he sang melted her. He had such a way. Such perfection in his tone, and she couldn't help but become slightly hypnotized by his voice. And she was weak.

Her relationship with Raoul was falling apart, and she knew it couldn't possibly last much longer. It felt almost as if she were forcing herself to love him, like she owed it to that wide-eyed freshman girl who had used to swoon at the thought of him. But now, she felt nothing. And it scared her.

~..0..~

Erik came over often and they would sing for hours. He would laugh at her ridiculous impressions of characters and she would laugh at basically everything else. He found it hard to be serious when with Christine, to whom life seemed to be a breeze and often times he found himself quite enjoying her presence.

They had become very close friends, and they often thrived off of sarcasm and playful insults. When he would sing, the girls would swoon from his voice but Christine would simply tell him he sucked and shrug uninterestedly sometimes even shamelessly pointing out his mistakes in accompaniment. Erik often found that he looked forward to her coldness exceptionally more than the choir girls' praise.

~..0..~

The night of the performance, Christine felt as if her heart was in her stomach. She was in a few group numbers as well, always the one hidden in the back as per her wretched instructors' command. Ms. Giudiaccheli had hated her from the start, and not even a perfect note by Erik's standards could change that.

When it came time for their duet, he noticed she paled considerably. Erik sighed at himself and rubbed his masked face in his hands. How could he have been so inconsiderate? She had never sung on stage before, and she was terrified.

"Erik…C—can we go outside, you know get some fresh air?" He nodded and she rushed out the door of the performing arts center. When he finally caught up with her, she was a sight to behold. Her dark curls were mussed in her palms, and she panted heavily eyes wide with apprehension.

"Christine?" He said, feeling suddenly very under qualified to be comforting her.

"I can't do this Erik. I—I just cant…I feel like I'm going to be sick." Christine cried falling into a heap on the cold concrete. She sat there staring at the ground for a moment, and then stood up when he told her to. She immediately began rambling in protest and he grabbed her arm to cease her sobs.

"Christine!" He yelled slightly. She looked at him with wide eyes, and he had to force himself not to turn away at the sight of her. "You don't need to worry. I'm going to be right there with you. You're not alone." He looked deeply into her eyes, and she clung to every word he said as if it were a life raft. "You're never alone."

The moment the curtain opened, Christine's eyes widened as she beheld the sold out auditorium. All the sudden, her previous terror came rushing back with a fury. But then he began to sing. That voice which rang out through the theatre with ease, its soothing qualities forcing her eyes shut as he sang to her. And it suddenly dawned on Christine that he was singing to _her_. She smirked at the thought of all those jealous choral girls and looked back at her partner.

He was completely enveloped in the music, and she gazed at him in awe as they were both consumed. She had never seen, nor felt so much passion in her life. Christine allowed herself once again to relent to his music as he characteristically reached out to her. She found herself longing to truly be Aminta, and be loved by this mysterious Don Juan who's every drawn out word coaxed her further into submission. In all her thoughts, she nearly missed her cue but quickly recovered as she found the notes with finesse. He was gazing at her and she at him, their eyes full of passion and fire. But both dismissed it momentarily for simply acting their roles. They finally met together in song, both slowly walking towards the other, their voices blending perfectly and Christine found herself standing inches away from him. They had never been this close. Not even in rehearsals, and her heart fluttered with aniticiaption. At last she looked longingly into his dark orbs and for the first time, she knew he noticed her.

~..0..~

Erik barely had time to look at Christine before she ran off the stage and out into the performance hall. Most people walked casually by, dismissing her distressed appearance as stage fright. But she knew it wasn't.

"Oh my gosh," She panted, completely ravaged with fright and anticipation.

"Christine, are you alright? Came Meg's shrill voice, laced with concern. Christine simply looked up at her friend and shook her head, eyes still wide. She saw Erik a ways away and quickly averted her gaze. Meg followed her line of sight and her mouth immediately dropped.

"I—uhh...E—erik?" She finally managed to say, every word lacing with shock. Christine nodded hesitantly and Megs' hand shot up with a gasp "Oh Christine!" She exclaimed as she hugged her friend.

"What do I do?" The brunette cried. She was confused. Meg shook her head and simply held her friend. She honestly didn't know.

~..0..~

The next few days Christine virtually dropped from existence and most were left wondering whatever happened to the soprano with the angelic voice. Concerned for her friend, Meg drove to her house after school one day. Erik hadn't asked about her, and had instead taken on the indifferent approach. But she could tell he was worried sick and honestly, so was Meg.

"Christine?" She said gingerly, entering the girls' room with a slight knock to the door. She was sitting at her desk, pen in hand violently scratching out a math equation she was clearly stumped on.

"Meg," She said, a soft smile on her lips. She looked tired, sad, empty.

"Where have you been?" Meg inquired, "Erik and I have been worried sick!" Upon the mentioning his name, Christine's fragile facade shattered and her eyes glossed over.

"Here…" Was her response. " I haven't been feeling the best lately." She said, her eyes glued to the worksheet in front of her.

"Don't you dare lie to me Christine Daae." Christine clutched her pen harder and her jaw tightened slightly. "This is about Erik, isn't it?"

The brunette nodded, as clearly there was no point in lying any further.

"I just don't know how to explain it…It's hard for even me to understand." Christine said softly as she shook her head. Meg smiled and took her friends' hand.

"Try."

"It…its just. He's never been in a relationship, never really had anyone interested before, and he doesn't know a thing about his own emotions! But that just makes me like him all the more. He's so utterly…Erik. When we sang together, that's when I really got to know him. And this guy, that I had barely known had become the most trustworthy man I had ever met within a few days. We fought but, he listened, he cared, and he was there. No one could ever really understand where I'm coming from. They'd just dismiss it as a passing fad with some crude comment about how a girl like me shouldn't be with a guy like him. But he's so much more to me. In everything he does, he's passionate." Her eyes lit up immediately, and the ghost of a smile appeared below her tear stained cheeks. "Music is his life, the very core of his soul. And every work he composes reflects that. Every note he sings shows how much he lives for it." Her voice lowered and she looked down at her lap. "We were friends, unlikely yes, but we were. But then I had to make things complicated. He may know how I feel, he may not know. I'm too afraid to ask."

Her tears flowed freely now, and Meg frantically searched her head for a response, but Christine soon spoke again and she found herself shamefully relieved.

"I feel as if I have single-handedly ruined everything we had built up. All because I fell for him." She sobbed, and took Meg's hands in her own "But how could I not? I know he's certainly not the best looking, or the most athletic, or even the most personable; but he's the most kind, the most understanding and…the most passionate." Christine laughed emotionlessly and released Meg's hands shaking her head.

"Now I'm sitting her talking about the guy Erik was." She said softly, her gaze suddenly finding the hardwood very interesting. "Now…He's the most distant. It's almost as if the very thought of someone every feeling something for him shakes his very core. And he runs away for fear of emotion." She looked at Meg again. "It's like he's afraid. When I talk to him, he's not even there and if he can avoid it, he wont even converse with me.

There are time's when he comes back, you can see it in his eyes and even his smile, however slight. But then it's as if he realizes his growth of emotion, and he detaches himself immediately. He…He's confused it seems…afraid to feel, afraid to even process. And above all, he's afraid to ask." The brunette scoffed sadly and raked her hand through her hair.

"Then again…" She started tears in her eyes. "…so am I…What makes me any better? Nothing. Because I'm just as scared of him as he is of himself." She stood suddenly and began pacing about the room, finally stopping at the window and gazing through the glass

"I feel like he doesn't know, or maybe just doesn't understand." She turned suddenly and her chocolate long curls whipped around her arm.

"I don't care that he's not the "handsome jock" or the "washed out hipster" because he's not! He's the hyped up band geek who drinks tea from a china cup and saucer and always looks eccentrically pensive. He's the guy who spills that tea all over himself and growls at his own incompetence. He's the guy with the most ridiculous smile you've ever seen, if you have the honor of seeing it, from ear to ear. And with that very same grin, he's the guy that could make me smile right back on even my worst day.

He's the guy that clumsily drops everything, he's the guy who knows exactly how to get a rouse out of me. He eats all my food, he laughs sarcastically at everything. But most of all, he's the guy I care about no matter how quirky and hostile he can be sometimes." Christine laughed helplessly and attempted to wipe the tears from her eyes only to have more surface immediately, her frail voice rose softly again and she sadly back down at the floor.

"He's the guy I miss more than anything…and I would do anything to see him again."

Meg pulled her friend close as Christine cried shamelessly into her shoulder. They stayed like that for a while until at last Christine ran out of tears and she pulled back from her friends' grasp, wiping her hazel eyes and tear stained cheeks.

"Christine," Meg started, and her friend looked to her immediately. " You have to tell him." Christine shook her head and slumped a bit more.

"He's leaving in a few weeks, there's no point."

"Bull shit." Meg deadpanned "If I thought there was no point, I wouldn't have told you to do it. You have to tell him, because there is a very real possibility that he feels the exact same way. Would you rather spend the rest of your life wondering what could have been had you asked? Or would you rather know and face the possibility of a future with him? Trust me Christine, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take."

Christine raised a brow at her friend's bluntness but found herself clutching on to every word she said. Meg was right. And whether she liked it or not, Erik deserved to know the truth.

~..0..~

It was easier said then done. Meg had jokingly told Christine that if she couldn't find the words to say to "seduce him with your lips". The thought in itself terrified and excited her at the same time, but lately it seemed a lot simpler then talking. Erik was still distant to her, his dark eyes seemed cold and his demeanor even more so. What was worse was that if he could, he'd completely avoid her and Christine began to think that perhaps it was hatred he felt and not any sort of love. She had long broken things off with Raoul and now began to wonder if this is how he felt when Christine could no longer muster feelings for him.

And so, time passed by and soon enough graduation came and she still hadn't told Erik. Christine had signed up to volunteer for the planning of the event and so begrudgingly found herself selling overly priced lei's and then sitting in a crowd of snobby parents. She clutched at her purse and wrung her hands nervously throughout the entire night, desperately anticipating the end of the reception so she could make a break for home. It was nearly dark by the time she finished her jobs and most people had already left an hour before. But she finally made it to her car with a sigh. Putting the keys in the ignition she took out her hair and let it fall down her shoulders, slamming her head back onto the headrest with a huff. He had seen her there that much was obvious. No person could avoid looking at a crowd that much without a purpose.

 _He hates me._

Christine thought sadly, and then suddenly became annoyed with the thought. Frustratingly slamming her door shut, Christine went to turn the key only to find it repeatedly sputter and die.

"Ergh!" She screamed, hitting the wheel and storming out of the vehicle with another slam to her door. She went to open the hood of the car only to find thick black smoke pouring out onto her face. Coughing repeatedly, she waved her hand over her face in a futile attempt to be-rid of the smoke and then realized she had absolutely no idea how to fix a car.

"This is the worst day of my miserable existence" She muffled into her arm, and slumped over the side of her car.

"Need some help with that?"

Her eyes immediately shot open at the smooth voice and she turned to behold the sight of him. Erik stood there in front of her. He was tall, and dark and in the moonlight she could see the uncovered half of his face. He was quite handsome, she realized. His shoulders broad and muscular, with a sharp jawline and defined nose. He had on a black suit, which fit him perfectly, and she couldn't help but stare a little. But what perplexed her the most was is _eyes_. They almost appeared to glow in the darkness, the amber flecks mirroring that of fire.

"I…um, I'm fine." Christine stuttered, and turned around taking in a deep breath from the sight she just beheld.

Erik was affected by her too, and he found his eyes automatically drawn to the soft curve of her hips so seamlessly outlined in her tightly fitted black dress. She wasn't a tall woman by any means, rather small instead, but her black wedges seemed to make her legs go on forever. Her long, curly chocolate hair cascaded freely down her back and Erik nearly found himself at a loss for words when she finally responded.

"Here," He said, his hand ghosting over her waist as he maneuvered around to the front of the car. Christine immediately jumped at the contact only to stiffen when he turned to look at her shocked stance. Erik ignored it and went on trying to find the source of her car's problem. He squinted and then shook his head, slamming the hood shut and dusting off his hands.

"Well?" She said "Did you fix it?"

"Nope." Was his reply and he looked at her annoyed expression. " I can't see a thing, you'll have to get someone to look at it tomorrow."

"But tomorrow isn't soon enough!" She pouted, suddenly feeling extremely exhausted.

"I'm sorry but there's not really much I can do," Erik replied, exasperated. He then looked down at her hesitantly. "Do…do you need a ride?"

Christine looked up at him for a moment and then nodded slowly.

"That would be nice."

He led her to his car and she followed silently, never once looking up from the ground all the way up to the point where she was sitting in the front seat. Erik, ever the gentleman, had taken it upon himself to see to the door and she thought it odd that he would still waste his time with fake pleasantries. He then got in on the other side and went to start the car when Christine's voice suddenly rang out from beside him.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She asked, seeming honestly incredulous as opposed to livid. He found that odd.

"What?" Erik turned to look at her and she at him.

"You know exactly what. You've been practically avoiding me like the plague ever since the night of the performance and whenever I try to make conversation with you, you shut down completely. Its like your not even the same person!"

Erik looked at her with no emotion.

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not the only person in this equation who has been avoiding the other half."

Christine raised her brow at him and he turned away from her attempting yet again to start the car. But she stopped him

"Okay fine, you want the truth?" Erik looked at her and wondered when he had ever said that out loud or even insinuated the idea. But he wasn't going to stop her anyways.

"Look," she started, "I'm not sure what exactly is going on right now between us, but what I do know is that I miss the way we used to be able to talk to each other and it wasn't awkward. But lately, it seems like we can't spend 5 minutes in the same room together without it being almost unbearable. And apparently the same goes for cars." She closed her eyes and let out a breath she had no idea she had been holding.

"So I guess I just need to get this all out into the open and hope that at least things may still be able to go back to the way they were. I have feelings for you. I honestly didn't at first because you pissed me off so much, and you still do. But I guess life happened and I got to know you better, and then all the sudden you were this unbelievable guy. And I couldn't get enough. After I realized it, I figured I would get over it eventually. But I haven't, and I honestly don't think I ever will."

Erik was staring at her now, his demeanor the same as it had been a few moments ago. Unchanging. But his eyes reflected more in them than she had ever seen. He looked into her eyes as well and found himself entranced, unbelieving. It's what he had suspected, yes. But hearing the words coming from her mouth, was more than he could handle and he quickly got out of the car, raking his hands through his hair. She got out too then, and went towards him.

"Erik, please just say something" she begged. He couldn't. There weren't any words. Christine cared for him. His student, his partner, his angel. And he didn't deserve her, but he wanted her more than anything. And hearing her say all those things to him, Erik knew they were true. And that terrified him.

"Erik?" She asked meekly, her eyes glazing over.

He went to her then in three quick strides and kissed her, holding her face between his palms as he felt her small hands bury themselves into his hair. It was frenzied, passionate and needy as they both absorbed every second of bliss. Christine felt herself melting at his touch and she tugged at his hair, eliciting a groan as he pulled her in closer by the waist and relished in the proximity.

He had missed her.

Their lips continued on passionately and Erik could feel her previously frightened tears wet his lips. He pulled back then and wiped her cheeks with the pad of his thumb. She looked up at him in awe and he kissed her again with just as much fervor and need as he had before and she whimpered slightly into his mouth. They stopped and he rested his forehead on hers only to take her chin into his hand and tilt her head towards him.

"Every time Christine. I saw you, and I cared."


End file.
